MANCHESTER United's midfielder Juan Mata visited children in Oldham as an opportunity to 'give something back'.

The Spanish footballer surprised pupils at Royton Hall Primary School and Beever Primary School as well as patients at the Royal Oldham Hospital during the visit.

He also handed out toys that he personally had donated to Manchester United Foundation for the fourth consecutive year.

Mata said: "It's been another great day coming to schools around Manchester and especially visiting Oldham with some gifts.

"It’s great, it’s one of the best things that football gives you, the chance to give back and speak about your sport and your life to so many kids and try to put a smile on their faces.

"It’s fantastic, we saw a little girl coming out of one of the schools with one of her gifts and she was very happy. These are little things for us, but to them it means a lot, and they can remember this day as a happy day."

Pupils at Beever Primary School were said to gasp in excitement as the Reds star walked into their school assembly before handing out gifts to children in Year 2 and making time for a quick game of football with the school's Year 6 team.

Mata then dropped in on a Spanish class at Royton Hall Primary School before meeting young fans and their families on the children's ward at the Royal Oldham Hospital.

Aaliyah, a patient on the children’s ward and a United fan, said: "I was very, very excited to meet Mata, he signed my shirt which was amazing."

Kathryn Kinks, the hospital's division director of nursing for women and children's services, said: "On behalf of all the children, parents and staff at the Royal Oldham Hospital, we'd like to pass on our sincere thanks to Juan Mata for taking the time to come and visit the children and distribute gifts.

"The children were overjoyed to see him and receive presents and have their photograph taken.

"Mata demonstrated a very caring and compassionate approach and spent time with each and every child on the ward, a real credit to his football club."